— Randall Keils, Kalamazoo, Mich.
A That “pipe,” is actually an AM radio antenna. The vertical supports are made of insulating material and, if you look closely, you can see the lead into the car where it loops and joins the antenna, about six supports down. Many post-war streamliners had trainlined public address and entertainment systems.
The radio reception equipment was generally placed in the diner or lounge cars of the train because every consist was likely to contain one of those cars. Most railroads used the Association of American Railroads’ standard trainline plug for entertainment and PA, which was mounted above the end doors for application of a car-to-car jumper. Each car (and each room in the sleepers) would have a control station for speakers in that car consisting of a channel selector and volume control.
— Brad Black, general manager, Silver Peak Railroad Resources
